Steerable ski



Sept. 7, 1965 B. l.. BAsH 3,204,263

STEERABLE sx1 Filed Feb. 7, 1964 Figi. E 3l 1 Wn l Il IH www INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,264,263 STEERABLE SKI Bernard L. Bash, 4151 N. Trenton Ave., Tulsa, Okla. Filed Feb. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 343,307 2 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) The present invention relates to a ski, more particularly of the steerable type. Skis according to the present invention are adapted for use both on snow and on water. However, for purposes of illustration, a water ski embodying the present invention will be shown and described.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ski that can be steered by the rider.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a steerable ski having a seat.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a steerable ski that can be steered by use of the riders hands.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a steerable ski that will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, safe and easy to operate with a maximum of pleasure, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a steerable ski according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the ski of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view from the front taken adjacent the lower front end of the ski; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the structure of FIGURE 3 but viewed generally from the rear.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown a steerable ski comprising an elongated ski 1 which may be of generally conventional shape. In the case of a water ski, ski 1 is preferably provided with a rear depending in to serve as a centerboard and lend lateral stability to the ski. As usual, the ski is flat and generally horizontally disposed and curves upwardly adjacent its forward end. Mounted on either side of ski 1 and integral with ski 1 is a pair of raised footrests 3. Footrests 3 include horizontal portions for the support of the feet of the rider and vertical portions by which footrests 3 are secured to but spaced above the longitudinal side edges of ski 1.

Forward hinge standards 5 and rear hinge standards 7 are spaced apart lengthwise of the ski and are in alignment with each other parallel to the length of the ski. Standards 5 and 7 swingably interconnect a support 9 with ski 1 for a relative vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of ski 1 and disposed between the longitudinal side edges of the ski. Support 9 is a support for a rider on the ski, and includes a rear standard 11 that extends upwardly from rear hinge standards 7 and is connected with rear hinge standards 7 for relative vertical swinging movement about said axis by means of a horizontal hinge pin 13 that is parallelto the length of the ski 1. Rear standard 11 supports at its upper end a horizontal seat 15 for the rider. A bar 17 is integral with and extends forwardly from seat 15 and is generally horizontally disposed in the direction of the elongation of ski 1. Bar 17 carries at its forward end an upright socket 19 in which an upright shaft 21 is mounted for rotation about a generally upright axis disposed at a substantial angle to the length of ski 1 and therefore at a substantial angle to the axis of vertical swinging movement of support 9 relative to ski 1.

3,204,263 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 Shaft 21 carries at its upper end handle bars 23 for the turning of shaft 21 by the rider. At its lower end, shaft 21 carries a hollow cylindrical sleeve 25 coaxial with shaft 21 and iixedly connected to shaft 21 by means of a pin 27 that passes through the upper end of sleeve 25 and through the lower end of shaft 21. A further shaft 29, substantially shorter than shaft 21, is disposed in the lower or hollow end of the sleeve 25 and is rotatable relative to sleeve 25 about the axis of sleeve 25. Shaft 29 is pivotally interconnected with forward hinge standards 5 by means of a hinge pin 31 vertical swinging movement relative to ski 1 about the aforementioned horizontal axis.

To accommodate the relative rotation of sleeve 25 and shaft 29 about the common axis of shaft 29 and shaft 21, but at the same time to retain sleeve 25 on shaft 29, shaft 29 is provided with an annular outwardly opening groove 33 the plane of which is perpendicular to the axis of shaft 29. A pin 35 iixedly carried by the sleeve 25 and extending radially inwardly from sleeve 25 a substantial distance toward the axis of shaft 29 is disposed in and rides annularly in groove 33. Pin 35 of course prevents relative movement of sleeve 25 in shaft 29 along the common axis but permits them to rotate freely relative to each other.

At its lower end, sleeve 25 carries an annular collar 37 that is disposed in a plane at an acute angle to the axis of sleeve 25. Collar 37 thus has an under surface that provides a cam surface that is inclined realtive to the axis of sleeve 25. Bearing members 39 engage the undersurface of collar 37 and are removably disposed in upwardly opening sockets carried on the upper surface of ski 1. They may be of Wood, hard nylon or iluorinated hydrocarbon polymers or of other material having a low coefficient of friction relative to the metal of collar 37. They can thus be replaced when they become worn down by rubbing against the underside of collar 37. Bearing members 39 are disposed on opposite sides of hinge pin 31 in a plane perpendicular to the length of the skin.

Means are also provided for pulling the steerable ski of the present invention behind a draft vehicle, such as a motor boat. These means could take any of a variety of forms. In the illustrated embodiment, there is shown a quick release member 41 for receiving an elongated draft member such as a tow rope, and a flexible release cable 43 for actuating release member 41 to disengage from the draft member. A release lever 45 is pivotally mounted on handle bars 23 and is thus readily available to the rider to actuate the disconnect mechanism to free the ski from its draft vehicle when desired.

In operation, with the ski and lrider thereon traveling at a fair rate of speed, it is possible to steer the ski by turning handle bars 23 in the conventional direction, that is, clockwise as viewed by the rider to effect a right turn and counterclockwise as viewed by the rider to effect a left turn. If the ski is a water ski and the driver remains upright then the ski turns in the water the same as it would if the rider were making a banked turn. This movement of the ski effects a turn, and the rider controls the sharpness of the turn not to the degree by which he inclines his body, as was previously necessary, but rather by the degree to which he turns the handle bars. Of course, he will incline his body one way o r the other to remain on balance; but it is now no longer necessary for him to regulate the sharpness of the turn solely by use -of his legs yand ankles and feel as had hereinbefore been necessary. Instead, he can exercise a much more sensitive and accurate control over the turn by manipulation of handle bars 23. If the ski is a snow ski, then the ski may not be as free to turn relative to the snow as it is free to turn relative to the water; nevertheless, substantially the same principles apply as in the case of a water ski, because the sharpness of the turn is accurately ice regulated by manipulation .of the handle bars and not merely by the ankle work and posture of the skier.

To disconnect the ski from the draft vehicle, it is necessary only to release lever 45, after which the ski is freed from the draft vehicle and moves forward only according to its own momentum.

It should be noted that it is no longer necessary to provide two skis, as when a turn is eiected by ankle work and the position of the body, because the turn can now be accurately controlled with only one ski. The provision of only one ski makes it possible to provide convenient foot rests, and the positioning of the footrests above the ski greatly reduces what would otherwise be water .resistance of the footrests.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, there fore, it will be evident that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated ski, a support for a rider carried by the ski, and means interconnecting the ski and the support for swinging movement Irelative to each other about a first axis that extends generally lengthwise of the ski, said means comprising a steering column carried by the support for rotation relative to the support about a second axis disposed at a substantial angle to the rstnamed axis, and cam means carried by said steering co1- umn and by said ski and having interengaging surfaces such that upon rotation of said steering column, said support and said ski are forced to swing relative to each other about the rst-named axis.

2. A ski as claimed in claim 1,`said cam means carried by said steering column having a cam surface engaged with said cam means on said ski and disposed at a substantial acute angle to said first-named axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/55 Ritter 9-310 l/64 Yoder 9-310 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/33 France. 4/53 France.

25 lMILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner. 

1. AN ELONGATED SKI, A SUPPORT FOR A RIDER CARRIED BY THE SKI, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE SKI AND THE SUPPORT FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ABOUT A FIRST AXIS THAT EXTENDS GENERALLY LENGTHWISE OF THE SKI, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A STEERING COLUMN CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORT ABOUT A SECOND AXIS OF DISPOSED AT A SUBSTANTIAL ANGLE TO THE FIRSTNAMED AXIS, AND CAM MEANS CARRIED BY SAID STEERING COLUMN AND BY SAID SKI AND HAVING INTERENGAGING SURFACES SUCH THAT UPON ROTATION OF SAID STERRING COLUMN, SAID SUPPORT AND SAID SKI ARE FORCED TO SWING RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THE FIRST-NAMED AXIS. 